Ghana will host the 2027 Global Literacy Day celebrations, according to Ghanaian Times, after the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation accepted the country's request to stage the event.
The confirmation came at a handover ceremony in Accra on Monday, where a symbolic hosting trophy was presented to the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu. The trophy had earlier been handed to the Acting Executive Director of the Complementary Education Agency (CEA), Daniel Kwesi Ashiamah, during an international literacy gathering in Mexico.
Speaking at the Accra event, Mr Ashiamah said UNESCO had granted Ghana's bid, and he framed the selection as a chance for the country to present its work on literacy to an international audience.
Why it matters
The hosting role puts Ghana at the centre of a global observance that draws attention to reading, writing and numeracy skills worldwide. According to Ghanaian Times, Mr Iddrisu said the occasion would let the country show what it has achieved in widening access to fair, inclusive and good-quality education since independence, and would also put a spotlight on reforms brought in by successive governments.
The minister was careful to present a balanced picture. He said Ghana's education record, from the era of first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah through to the current administration, contains notable gains, while acknowledging that difficulties persist.
Mr Iddrisu also linked the event to national pride, proposing that the celebration be tied to activities marking Ghana's 70th independence anniversary. Under that plan, organisers would look at holding the event before March 6, 2027.
Planning committee and budget
The minister has asked the Chief Director of the education ministry to set up a planning committee to run preparations and to liaise with UNESCO on the international side of the programme. A deputy minister is to lead the committee.
Mr Iddrisu said funding for the celebration should be written into the ministry's 2027 budget. He stressed that early organisation and sufficient money would be needed for the event to succeed.
He also put forward a symposium built around the theme "Education in a rapidly changing technological world". The gathering would bring together academics and specialists to examine artificial intelligence, adult literacy, values and other questions now shaping education.
UNESCO cites Ghana's literacy record
Prosper Nyavor, an Education Specialist at the UNESCO Ghana Office, said the country's literacy work had made its hosting bid stronger. He pointed in particular to complementary basic education, a route for people who did not complete or attend formal schooling.
The handover in Accra follows the trophy's presentation in Mexico, where Mr Ashiamah received it on Ghana's behalf. Ghanaian Times reports that the trophy represents the country's acceptance of the duty to organise the international event.
What to watch next is the makeup and first meetings of the planning committee, the funding line in the ministry's 2027 budget, and whether Ghana and UNESCO settle on a date before the March 6 independence anniversary.
